The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-04
A STATE WEATHER SERVICE.
New Meteorological System That Will Prob
ably Soon Be introduced in indiana.

The governors OF the Board of Trade held a
meeting last night to hear from Professor
Smart, of Purdue University and Sergeant
Cassidy, of the government meteorological
service, something in regard to a
State weather system in connection
with the institution named Prof. Smart's re-
marks on the agricultural experiments carried
on at Purdue referred to the benefits that farm
ers derived from them in establishing the suita-
bility of certain kinds of grain for certain soils
in the State. Wheat that did we'll
in one section failed in another
and the experiments at Purdue with
the variety of seed and soil reached conclusions
that would cost the individual farmers great
amount OF time, money and labor 1t was the
same with fruit bearing trees with which expert.
ments were being made. A State weather sery-
ice, with Purdue rs its center. would be invalu-
able to the farmers. There were al
ready forty weather stations in
Indiana, but there could be, as
we'll. thirty more. In no section was it more
difficult to give forecasts of the weather Indi-
ana was the center Of atmospheric battles. In
dcations could be obtained with more certain
ty in regard to Chicago or Louisville
ocCduso tuc lrotu al SECTIONS seem
to meet over the Indianapolis region. Pennsyl-
vania had a great many weather stations in a
State service CO operating with that of the gov
eminent as that of Indiana would do. Illinois
and Minnesota had the system. 1t
was proposed, in connection with this to in
crease the means of distributing the Information
as to indications by having railroad trains carry
certain signals that would be easily SEEN A
pacard on baggage-car would probably be
adopted, and as the government signals were
about to be reduced to four, with position to in
dictate in detail the exact state of the weather,
the system would be simple
Sergeant Cassidy said he had been sent out
by the Washington bureau to bring this matter
before the board Of trustees in the State All
that was asked was cooperation and indorse-
ment 1t meant no expense TO these institu-
tions, only an expression that would enable the
bureau to awaken popular interest in the en-
terprse.
On motion of E. B. Martindale, the governors
voted that the plan had their entire confidence
and that its further consideration be referred to
the meteorological committee, consisting of Geo.
W. Sloan, A. J. Halford and J. r. Carnahau
who are to act with the committee railroads
IS. T. Gray. V. T. Malott ard H. B. Wetsell-
IN securing the cooperation of the railroads in
displaying the signals described.
A. NJ. Fletcher, George w. Sloan E. B. Mar
tindale and Y. L. Malott were chosen as dele
gates of the board at the National Board of
Trade, which meets N Washin gton on the 18th
The committee 10 which had been referred the
the question of uniting the proposed national ex-
positions in celebration of the adoption of the
Constitution and discovery of America reported
in favor of asking the General Assembly to pass
resolution approving these enterprises The
report was adopted.